Friday, April 01, 2011

Happy Birthday Ali!!! & Why Do I Read Romance?

Uh..oh... Somebody's birthday is today. :) Yes.. you all guys have guessed it... its Ali's!! Today is Ali's 28th birthday! YAY! What a nice even number, I say!

To celebrate her birthday, I have decided to blog-jack her blog. :) How awesome of me is that, hehe.

One day, Ali asked me to blog about a certain topic. So here I go.. the question is:

Why do I read Romance??

That is a very good question.. a question that in fact I have never really thought about. Sure I have had people who dont read romance (or read anything for that matter) ask me why I read romance, but ofcourse.. I dont take them seriously. I just give them a fast answer, such as... because I love to read or because why wouldn't anyone want to read romance? LOL. Does anyone else do the same thing? How does one react when a non-romance reader (or non-reader period) ask why do you read romance? Ofcourse... when I answer, immediately people tend to roll their eyes.. especially men. I'm so use to it.. it doesn't even bother me anymore, lol.

So... Why do I read romance? There are several reasons why, but basically the simple fact is, I love it! I'm in love with romance. I love the connection between two people, the trials and the sacrifice that they go through in order to get to their main destination. Its nice to see the two characters grow together and see how compatible they are. The emotions I experience at times when I read a romance book, feels like I'm the one thats loving.. I'm the one being loved. Having said that, romance gives me hope.. even when I dont have the hope to one day find that one true love, that hope still lingers on. It also keeps me satisfied. It makes me realize that no body is perfect.. at all, and that even with all your flaws, that prince charming is still out there.

I love putting myself (at times) as the heroine. I sometimes even imagine myself as the person on the cover! Even though i know that these readings are a work of fiction.. its always nice to get away. I mean common... who doesn't want to escape with that tall dark handsome man? Pfft! I would, in a heart beat!

OOOO.. and then we have the HEAs!! Gotta love the happy endings in the books. Without a HEA.. the book might not be worth a read whatsoever. I read romance so that I can read some happy ever afters!!! It's always nice to think that there are happy endings. :) I know that Ali is a sucker for those HEAs!!!

And last but not least, needless to say.. in everything I pretty much read or even watch.. I look for the romance. Its just natural, lol. A couple years ago, I was reading a Dean Koontz book, in this particular story there was a couple... I waited and waited for the romance. Nothing.. I waited forever. :( I was pretty dissapointed. Until then, I hadn't really realized that I do this. I look for romantic elements in everything!

This is why I read romance.

For Ali's special day today, I have decided to have a give-a-away. We all know how much Ali loves to have give-aways.. so I only though that it would be appropriate.

The giveaway will be a $10.00 gift certificate to Amazon or a book of your choice up to $10 dollar value from the Book Depository . This giveaway is also open to our international friends.

All you would have to do is two things: 1) Wish Ali a Happy Birthday! and 2) Answer the following question: "Why do you read Romance?"

This give-away, will be open until Monday. Ali will then chose one winner. Make sure to check back then to see if you've won!

************************************************

Dear Ali,

No words can ever express how much you mean to me. We've had our days and our times, but here we are still. I don't think theres any other person who can quite understand me - and even when you dont, you try and that is all I can ever ask.. On this very special day Ali, I wish you the very best. You deserve it. You have such a golden heart, you give so much of yourself and expect so little. In fact, you expect nothing. You dont find very many gems such as yourself in today's world. Not only are you beautiful on the outside, but more so in the inside.

When I am in need of something, a friend to talk to, a shoulder to cry on or a lending hand, you are always there for me. For this I thank you for the bottom of my heart. I could never repay everything you have done for me, that would be impossible. But I do hope that I am also that one person you can go to. I will always be there for you.. even if it means being an alibi for you because you killed someone (haha,jk) and I will be on your side the one day THEY decide to go after you, LOL.

I love you so much! Like you said before, "Not only are you my cousin, you are my best friend" this rings true all the way. I cherish our times together and look forward to them all the time.

My dear Ali... I hope you have the best 28th birthday ever.. and the best 28th year of your life!

Happy Birthday Ali, 28 is such a wonderful age. :) I hope your day is filled with much joy and love.I read Romance because I think I'm in love with Love. lolIt's great to sit back and be removed from my life to live in the lives of the H/H. To experience all the joys they do and all their adventures without any of the backlash.Carol LLucky4750@aol.com

Have a wonderful birthday Ali! May you get all your hoping for and more.I read romance books because real life is not the fairy tale with the happy ending usually. Life comes with way more responsibilities, hardships and let downs then I would like. I read to take my mind off all of those things. I suppose I can say that reading about happiness and love makes me believe in it and that I can find that perfect match for me.

Hope you have a happy birthday Ali!And I love to read romance because I like to read stories where women and men basically fall in love and have the fairy tale romance work between them other than it does in real life.ruthaw_1974@yahoo.com

I read romance novels because I don't get much of it myself and I am a romantic person by nature. But my husband is not. So I read them to fill that void and it helps a lot.Thanks so much for the giveaway!

Happy Birthday Ali!!! It's my sis-in law's birthday today too, she's 29. I hope you both have a great day

I love to read romance because it's my escape and stress reliever. I'm a stay at home mom of three and there are very hectic days, getting lost in a book and leaving reality behind in a great story puts me at ease

2. I read Romance Books because they are a wonderful escape from the difficulties of real life and it's the only way I get my happily-ever-after. I put myself in the place of the heroine, time after time after time, and fall in love with the hero over and over and over. Reading romance books beats getting a divorce, hands down!--Vonda2much2reid {at} comcast {dot} net

And I read romance because for me it's just as exciting as watching an action movie or a thriller. I get wrapped up in the drama and intensity of love stories. Oh, and it feeds my pervy mind sometimes too.

Happy Birthday again Ali! I wished you earlier here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/simplyali1/posts/10150174113063708

Anyway, I LOVE romance! I am a sucker for it unfortunately. Even though I know that romance is hard to come by in real life I just love the fantasy that it may actually happen. That's the short answer in order not to create spammage

Why do I read romance? Oh wow, I think it is because deep down beneath the facade I am a secret romantic at heart, so reading romance not only feeds my imagination but also feeds my need for romance. To feel the emotions (makes me sound like an empath junkie doesn't it)

Happy Birthday Ali! I read romance partly because I love the emotion in the books. It make me happy and it I just love sitting down and picking up a romantic book to reading about love and life. I also read romance for they guys! A strong male character who knows what he wants makes a happy me. GFC follower: lindadao2060Lindadao2060 at yahoo dot com

As for why I read romance, it's because I found that I'm usually drawn to the romance elements in any kind of story and also because I am a hopeless romantic. So I love the idea of love and romance! I also love how I can look forward to the HEA's at the end no matter how rough the hero and heroine's relationship gets.

Happy Birthday Ali, came over through the fool for books bloghop and had no idea that it was your birthday and am an old follower of your blog and became one because of your romance reviews. I am a fan of romance because it is a great escape and I love to see what others go through in the quest for love and the endingtbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

I love to read romance as its something Im lakcing in my life,, lol .. or I just am a true romantic at heart ;) I love a great love story !!!! and We are all after that happily ever after i think ;)katkittee_cat@bigpond.com

Hi Ali, Happy Birthday for you ^_^. Have a wonderful day, and well, may you have a wonderful life too :D

Why I read romance? Before I go to college, I'm never read romance, mostly are fantasy and teen books,I don't believe in romance after all. But thank to my friend that introduce me to some Harlequin books, I start reading romance, and since that I always read romance in any genre. It's make me happy and wish I have my own happy ending :D

Happy birthday, I hope your day is amazing.I guess I read romance for the passion and the love. There's also something so safe about them, like you know it'll end good. Plus they're sort of fake (in a good way) meaning that in the story you don't have to worry about a lot of real life issues.

Happy Birthday! My little girl has an April Fool's Day birthday too! Please enter me in the contest - I read romance because of love the butterfly feeling I get in my stomach when 2 people kiss for the first time :) I'm such a sap!

Birthdays can be amazing, super fun things, we're all lucky whenever we get to have another--I hope you do have a great one, Ali!

and when I read romance it's for the joy of reading about those two people who are so great together that it makes the story something you wish could happen to you :) (at least that's what I hope happens!)

Happy Birthday Ali.I read romance for the HEA. I read Historical , paranormal, futuristic, Time Travel, Fantasy or whatever, but it better end in a HEA! What is fiction if not to find the rainbow at the end?

I am a HEA girl, and my favorites shelf is full of stories that are heartfelt and passionate, give me memorable characters that are far from perfect, and make me care. I've been reading all kinds of romance for over 40 years, and I love where a well written story takes me.